Charge / discharge control device and charge / discharge device

Abstract

This enables more appropriate charge and discharge control for multiple batteries with a relatively simple configuration, ultimately extending the lifespan of individual batteries. [Solution] The charge / discharge control device according to the present invention is a charge / discharge control device that controls the charging and discharging of batteries installed in a plurality of installation units, and comprises: information acquisition means for acquiring usage history information for batteries installed in the plurality of installation units; identification means for identifying the first battery and the second battery based on the usage history information when two or more batteries, including a first battery and a second battery having a larger cumulative usage amount than the first battery, are installed in the plurality of installation units; and charge / discharge execution means for performing charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery such that the SOC (State of Charge) of the second battery becomes smaller than the SOC of the first battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the control of charging and discharging of a plurality of batteries.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a configuration of a power storage device for controlling the charging and discharging of a plurality of batteries. According to this configuration, it is possible to charge a plurality of batteries using external power (external charging mode), charge one of the plurality of batteries using the power of another one (internal charging mode), and discharge the power of the plurality of batteries to the outside (self-supporting mode).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The electrical performance of a battery generally deteriorates due to the cumulative use of the battery. In the configuration of Patent Document 1, charging and discharging control is not performed from the viewpoint of which of the plurality of batteries the user selects and removes from the power storage device for use. Therefore, there is a case where the user frequently uses a battery with a large degree of deterioration among the plurality of batteries, and there is a possibility of further deteriorating that battery.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to realize more appropriate charging and discharging control for a plurality of batteries with a relatively simple configuration, and thereby extend the service life of each battery.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a charge and discharge control device, and the charge and discharge control device is, A charge / discharge control device that controls the charging and discharging of batteries installed in multiple locations, Information acquisition means for acquiring usage history information for batteries installed in the aforementioned multiple installation units, When two or more batteries, including a first battery and a second battery having a greater cumulative usage than the first battery, are installed in the plurality of installation locations, the identification means identifies the first battery and the second battery based on the usage history information, A charge / discharge execution means that performs charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery such that the State of Charge (SOC) of the second battery is smaller than the State of Charge (SOC) of the first battery, Equipped with It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to achieve appropriate charge and discharge control for multiple batteries. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a power management system configuration. [Figure 2] This is a timing chart illustrating an example of the charging and discharging patterns of multiple batteries. [Figure 3] This flowchart illustrates an example of a control mechanism for charging and discharging multiple batteries. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] ≪Overall Configuration of the Charging and Discharging System≫ Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of the power management system SY of facility 1 according to this embodiment. Facility 1 is configured to receive power (commercial power) from the power grid 9 and includes a power generator 11, a power converter 12, a group of electrical equipment 13, and a charge / discharge device 14.

[0011] The power grid 9 is a system that provides electricity to individual consumers, including facility 1, through generation, transformation, transmission, and distribution, and is a concept that includes power companies, power plants, substations, transmission lines, etc. Facility 1 can purchase electricity from the power grid 9, and this electricity is supplied to the power lines 19 within facility 1. In this embodiment, facility 1 is a private residence, but in other embodiments, it may be an apartment building or other multi-unit dwelling, an office building or other company, or a commercial facility such as a supermarket.

[0012] The power generation device 11 generates electricity different from the electricity of the power grid 9. In this embodiment, the power generation device 11 is a photovoltaic power generation device (solar panel) that generates electricity based on sunlight, but in other embodiments, it may use other renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind power, or geothermal energy.

[0013] The power converter 12 is connected to the power generator 11 and the power line 19, and converts the power (e.g., DC voltage) obtained by the power generator 11 into power (e.g., AC voltage) compatible with the facility 1, making it available for supply to the power line 19. The power converter 12 is also called a power conditioner, inverter, etc.

[0014] The electrical equipment group 13 includes one or more electrical devices that can operate based on the power of the power line 19, and typical examples of such devices include TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, etc. The electrical equipment group 13 may also be referred to as a power load or simply a load, etc. Since power is supplied to the power line 19 from the power generator 11 by the power converter 12, the power line 19 may be in a state of either power surplus or power deficit depending on the relationship between the power consumed by the electrical equipment group 13 and the power generated by the power generator 11. For example, if the power consumed by the electrical equipment group 13 is less than the power generated by the power generator 11, it is in a state of power surplus, and if the power consumed by the electrical equipment group 13 is greater than the power generated by the power generator 11, it is in a state of power deficit.

[0015] The charge / discharge device 14 is configured to enable charging and discharging of the battery 2. Here, charge / discharge refers to either charging or discharging, and the charge / discharge device 14 is capable of charging the battery 2 with the surplus power when there is a power surplus, and discharging the battery 2 with the insufficient power when there is a power shortage. In this embodiment, the charge / discharge device 14 comprises an installation section 141, a charge / discharge control unit 142, and an information display unit 143. The installation section 141 is provided in multiple locations (four in this example) on the housing 140 of the charge / discharge device 14 so that multiple batteries 2 can be installed, but it is not necessary to install batteries 2 in all of them. In the figure, batteries 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are shown, but in the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between them, they will simply be referred to as battery 2.

[0016] The charge / discharge control unit 142 is built into the housing 140 and, although details will be described later, controls the charging and discharging of the batteries 2 installed in each installation unit 141.

[0017] The information display unit 143 is provided in a plurality (four in this example) corresponding to the plurality of installation units 141, and can display information of the battery 2, such as state information including the SOC (State Of Charge) indicating the charge rate, etc. A liquid crystal panel display capable of displaying the state information of the battery 2 in characters or symbols can typically be used for the information display unit 143, but an LED capable of displaying the state information by lighting / blinking of light of a predetermined color may also be used. Based on the display content of the information display unit 143, the user can select the battery 2 having a sufficient SOC, remove it from the charge and discharge device 14, and utilize it for other purposes (such as an electric vehicle). In this embodiment, a plurality of information display units 143 are provided, but a single information display unit 143 may be provided so that the state information of the plurality of batteries 2 can be visually recognized collectively by the user.

[0018] In addition, a memory 21 is built in the battery 2. Although details will be described later, the usage history information regarding the battery 2 can be recorded in the memory 21, for example, in association with individual information.

[0019] The power conversion device 12 is also connected to such a charge and discharge device 14. For example, when there is an excess of power, the power conversion device 12 supplies power from the power generation device 11 and / or the power line 19 to the charge and discharge device 14, thereby enabling the battery 2 to be charged. On the other hand, when there is a shortage of power, the power conversion device 12 can supply the power discharged from the battery 2 from the charge and discharge device 14 to the power line 19. Also, when the SOC of the battery 2 is not sufficient, the power purchased from the power grid 9 is supplied to the power line 19.

[0020] The charging and discharging of such batteries 2 and the control of their power amounts (charging and discharging amounts) can be realized by a known charge and discharge circuit section formed by switching elements, rectifying elements, etc. This charge and discharge circuit section may be a part of the charge and discharge control unit 142, or may be provided outside the charge and discharge control unit 142 and controlled by the charge and discharge control unit 142. The charge and discharge control unit 142 is constituted by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory, and can realize each of the functions described later by reading a predetermined program and executing it while expanding it on the memory, but may also be a semiconductor device such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). That is, the function of the charge and discharge control unit 142 may be realized by either hardware or software.

[0021] Incidentally, here, each element in the facility 1 is individually shown for the purpose of distinguishing functions, but it is not limited to the configuration of this example, and some elements may be constituted by a single unit, or a certain element may be constituted by a plurality of units.

[0022] ≪Regarding the charge and discharge mode≫ FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing an example of the charge and discharge mode according to this embodiment. This timing chart shows the time from morning to the next morning of a certain day on the horizontal axis, and the usage status of power, surplus power / deficient power, the number of charge and discharge targets, and the respective change modes of the SOC of each battery 2 on the vertical axis.

[0023] Referring to the usage status of power, the power generated by the power generation device 11 increases from early morning to daytime and decreases from daytime to evening, and during daytime, it is larger than the power consumption by the electrical equipment group 13. Therefore, during daytime, there is a state of power surplus, and in other time zones, there is a state of power deficiency.

[0024] The number of batteries to be charged or discharged is switched depending on whether the amount of surplus power and the amount of power deficit have reached a standard amount. Here, "charge / discharge target" refers to either the battery to be charged or the battery to be discharged. During a power surplus, a number of batteries 2 corresponding to the amount of surplus power are charged, and during a power deficit, a number of batteries 2 corresponding to the amount of power deficit are discharged. In this example, the number of batteries to be charged or discharged changes every 400[W].

[0025] The State of Charge (SOC) of each battery 2 increases with charging, approaching 100%, and decreases with discharging, approaching 0%. In this example, charging of one battery 2 begins at time t10, when the power situation changes from a power shortage to a power surplus. Subsequently, at times t11, t12, and t13, when the amount of surplus power reaches 400[W], 800[W], and 1200[W], the number of batteries 2 to be charged increases sequentially. Also, at time t20, when the power situation changes from a power surplus to a power shortage, discharging of one battery 2 begins. Subsequently, at times t21, t22, and t23, when the amount of insufficient power reaches 400[W], 800[W], and 1200[W], the number of batteries 2 to be discharged increases sequentially.

[0026] As shown in the diagram, charging begins at time t10 for battery 2, which is virtually undegraded. Subsequently, charging of the other three batteries 2 begins at times t11, t12, and t13, in order of least degradation. On the other hand, discharging begins at time t20 for battery 2, which is most degraded. Subsequently, discharging of the other three batteries 2 begins at times t21, t22, and t23, in order of least degradation. Details of this charging and discharging pattern will be described later.

[0027] Regarding the control methods for charging and discharging: Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a charge / discharge control method according to this embodiment. This flowchart is mainly executed by the charge / discharge control unit 142, and its outline is to charge and discharge two or more batteries 2 in such a way that the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2 with a relatively large cumulative usage is smaller than that of the others.

[0028] For the sake of simplicity, in the following explanation, we will assume that batteries 2a and 2b are installed in two of the four mounting sections 141, respectively (batteries 2c and 2d will be omitted, and the explanation will focus on comparing batteries 2a and 2b). In this example, battery 2b will have a higher cumulative usage than battery 2a. Also, for the sake of simplicity, we will assume that there is no external interference to the charge / discharge device 14 during charging and discharging. For example, batteries 2a and 2b will not be removed from the mounting section 141, and no additional batteries 2 will be installed in the mounting section 141.

[0029] In step S3000 (hereinafter simply referred to as S3000; the same applies to other steps described later), it is determined whether or not there is a charge / discharge request. Here, a charge / discharge request refers to either a charge request or a discharge request, and is output by a predetermined charge / discharge necessity determination unit based on the result of the determination of whether there is a power surplus or a power shortage. This charge / discharge necessity determination unit may be provided as part of the power converter 12, but may also be provided as part of the charge / discharge device 14, or may be provided between the power converter 12 and the charge / discharge device 14. For example, if there is a power surplus, a charge request (a request to charge the battery 2 with surplus power) is output. On the other hand, if there is a power shortage, a discharge request (a request to discharge the insufficient power from the battery 2) is output. The charge / discharge control unit 142 outputs a corresponding instruction and proceeds to S3100 if a charge / discharge request exists, otherwise it returns to S3000. For example, the charge / discharge control unit 142 outputs a charge instruction if a charge request exists, and outputs a discharge instruction if a discharge request exists. In S3000, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a receiving means for receiving charge / discharge requests, as well as an instructing means for issuing charge / discharge instructions.

[0030] In S3100, it is determined whether a candidate battery 2 for charging and discharging is installed in any of the multiple installation units 141. The charge / discharge control unit 142 proceeds to S3110 if at least one candidate battery 2 for charging and discharging is installed, and returns to S3000 otherwise. In this example, as mentioned above, it is assumed that two batteries 2a and 2b are installed. For example, if a charge command is output in S3000, S3100 determines whether there is a candidate battery 2 to be charged. Therefore, even if battery 2 is installed in the installation unit 141, if that battery 2 is fully charged (SOC=100%), the process returns to S3000. Similarly, if a discharge command is output in S3000, S3100 determines whether there is a candidate battery 2 to be discharged. Even if battery 2 is installed in the installation unit 141, if that battery 2 is discharged (SOC=0%), the process returns to S3000. When returning to S3000, it would be preferable to output a response signal indicating that charging and discharging is not possible. In S3100, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a determination means for determining the presence or absence of the battery 2 in each installation unit 141.

[0031] In S3110, usage history information is acquired for each battery 2 installed in the individual installation unit 141 (in this example, batteries 2a and 2b). The usage history information is mainly used to evaluate the degree of degradation and remaining life of the battery 2, and for example, it shows the currently usable battery capacity of the battery 2 (or an equivalent parameter, such as SOH (State of Health) which indicates the degree of battery degradation), and / or the cumulative discharge amount of the battery 2. In this embodiment, usage history information is recorded in memory 21 within the battery 2, and the charge / discharge control unit 142 reads and acquires the usage history information from memory 21 via telecommunications at the installation unit 141. In another embodiment, usage history information that can be associated with individual information may be acquired from an external element outside the battery 2 via a network. In S3110, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as an information acquisition means for acquiring usage history information of the battery 2 of each installation unit 141.

[0032] In S3120, the charge / discharge priority is set for each battery 2 installed in the individual installation unit 141 (in this example, batteries 2a and 2b). Here, the charge / discharge priority refers to either the charge priority or the discharge priority, and is set based on the usage history information of the battery 2. In this embodiment, batteries 2 with a high cumulative usage are set to have a low charge priority and a high discharge priority, and batteries 2 with a low cumulative usage are set to have a high charge priority and a low discharge priority. In this example, battery 2b has a higher cumulative usage than battery 2a, and therefore, Regarding battery 2a, Charging priority 1st (high priority) Discharge priority 2nd (low priority), Set Regarding battery 2b, Charging priority 2nd (low priority) Discharge priority 1st (high priority), It shall be set as follows. In S3120, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a priority setting means for setting charge / discharge priorities for each battery 2 in each installation unit 141, and also functions as a identification means for identifying two or more batteries 2 with different cumulative usage amounts.

[0033] In S3130, the number of devices to be charged or discharged is determined. The number of devices to be charged is determined based on the amount of surplus power per unit time, and the number of devices to be discharged is determined based on the amount of deficit power per unit time. As will be explained in more detail later, the amount of surplus power here corresponds to the total amount of charge indicated by the charge instruction, and the amount of deficit power corresponds to the total amount of discharge indicated by the discharge instruction. In S3130, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a quantity determination means for determining the number of batteries 2 to be charged or discharged.

[0034] In S3140, the batteries 2 to be charged and discharged are selected from the batteries 2 (batteries 2a and 2b in this example) installed in the installation unit 141. The batteries 2 to be charged and discharged are selected preferentially from those with higher charge / discharge priority based on the number determined in S3130. For example, when a charge instruction is output, if the number of batteries to be charged is 1, battery 2a is selected as the battery to be charged, and if the number of batteries to be charged is 2, both batteries 2a and 2b are selected as batteries to be charged. Similarly, when a discharge instruction is output, if the number of batteries to be discharged is 1, battery 2b is selected as the battery to be discharged, and if the number of batteries to be discharged is 2, both batteries 2a and 2b are selected as batteries to be discharged. In other words, the batteries 2 selected here may be a part (1 in this example) or all (2 in this example) of the batteries 2 (2 batteries, batteries 2a and 2b) installed in the installation unit 141, and the number is determined based on S3130. In S3140, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a target selection means for selecting which batteries to be charged or discharged from the batteries 2 installed in the installation unit 141.

[0035] In S3150, charging and discharging are performed on the batteries 2 (batteries 2a and / or 2b in this example) that were selected as targets for charging and discharging in S3140. The batteries 2 to be charged and discharged are selected in order of charge / discharge priority, as shown in S3120 to S3140. Therefore, in this example, charging of battery 2a takes precedence over charging of battery 2b, and discharging of battery 2b takes precedence over discharging of battery 2a. Thus, charging and discharging of batteries 2a and 2b are performed in such a way that the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 2b becomes smaller than the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 2a during the process. In S3150, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a charge / discharge execution means that performs charging and discharging of the battery 2 installed in the installation unit 141.

[0036] In S3200, it is determined whether or not the charge / discharge targets need to be updated. An example of when an update to the charge / discharge targets is necessary is when the charging / discharging of the currently running battery 2 is complete and it is necessary to set the next battery 2 as the charge / discharge target. Another example is when the total amount of charge / discharge per unit time (amount of surplus or deficit power) based on charge / discharge requests changes, and it becomes necessary to change the number of charge / discharge targets. In such cases, the system returns to S3130 as an update to the charge / discharge targets is necessary; otherwise, it proceeds to S3300. In S3200, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a second determination means for determining whether or not the charge / discharge target needs to be updated.

[0037] In S3300, it is determined whether or not to terminate the charging and discharging process. An example of terminating the charging and discharging process is when charging and discharging is completed for all of the batteries 2 installed in the installation unit 141 (in this example, both batteries 2a and 2b). Another example is when a new charging and discharging request different from the current charging and discharging request is output, causing a switch in the charging and discharging instruction (for example, switching from a charging instruction to a discharging instruction, or from a discharging instruction to a charging instruction). In such cases, the process is considered to terminate the charging and discharging process and returns to S3000; otherwise, it returns to S3150. In S3300, the charge / discharge control unit 142 functions as a third determination means for determining whether or not to terminate the charge / discharge process.

[0038] ≪Details of the step (S3130) for determining the number of items to be charged and discharged≫ Each battery 2 has a set maximum charge / discharge amount per unit time. In this embodiment, both the maximum charge amount per unit time, WcMAX, and the maximum discharge amount per unit time, WdMAX, are set to 400[W] (WcMAX=WdMAX=400[W]). In S3130, the number of batteries 2 to be charged and discharged is determined based on parameters derived from the above maximum values ​​WcMAX and WdMAX.

[0039] For example, when a charging instruction is given, the number of batteries 2 to be charged increases when the total charge amount per unit time (amount of surplus power) WcTotal indicated by the charging instruction exceeds a standard amount. For example, if the amount of surplus power WcTotal is 400[W] (=WcMAX) or less, the number of batteries 2 to be charged becomes 1, and battery 2a is selected as the battery to be charged from batteries 2a and 2b. Also, if the amount of surplus power WcTotal exceeds 400[W] (=WcMAX), the number of batteries 2 to be charged becomes 2, and both batteries 2a and 2b are selected as batteries to be charged.

[0040] In other words, if batteries 2a and 2b are selected as targets for charging in S3140 based on a charging instruction, then in S3150, battery 2a is charged at the maximum charge amount per unit time (400[W]). On the other hand, battery 2b is charged at a charge amount obtained by subtracting the above maximum value from the amount of surplus power WcTotal (for example, if the total charge amount WcTotal is 700[W], then 300[W] is obtained by subtracting 400[W] from 700[W]).

[0041] Furthermore, for example, when a discharge instruction is given, the number of batteries 2 to be discharged increases when the total discharge amount per unit time (amount of power deficit) WdTotal indicated by the discharge instruction exceeds a standard amount. For example, if the amount of power deficit WdTotal is 400[W] (=WdMAX) or less, the number of batteries 2 to be discharged becomes 1, and battery 2b is selected as the battery to be discharged from batteries 2a and 2b. Also, if the amount of power deficit WdTotal exceeds 400[W] (=WdMAX), the number of batteries 2 to be discharged becomes 2, and both batteries 2a and 2b are selected as the batteries to be discharged.

[0042] In other words, if batteries 2a and 2b are selected as targets for discharge in S3140 based on the discharge instruction, in S3150, battery 2b is discharged at the maximum discharge amount per unit time (400[W]). On the other hand, battery 2a is discharged at a discharge amount obtained by subtracting the above maximum amount from the amount of power deficit WdTotal (for example, if the total discharge amount WdTotal is 700[W], then 300[W] is obtained by subtracting 400[W] from 700[W]).

[0043] With this charging and discharging method, when batteries 2a and 2b are selected as targets for charging and discharging, the amount of power charged and discharged per unit time is determined for each of batteries 2a and 2b such that the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 2b is smaller than the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 2a.

[0044] This is also true when there are four batteries 2 installed in the charging / discharging device 14. In other words, if the amount of surplus power WcTotal is greater than 800[W] (=2×WcMAX) and less than or equal to 1200[W] (=3×WcMAX), the number of batteries 2 to be charged will be 3. If the amount of surplus power WcTotal is greater than 1200[W] (=3×WcMAX), the number of batteries 2 to be charged will be 4 (all of them). Furthermore, if the amount of power deficit WdTotal is greater than 800[W] (=2×WdMAX) and less than or equal to 1200[W] (=3×WdMAX), the number of batteries 2 that should be discharged will be 3. If the amount of power deficit WdTotal is greater than 1200[W] (=3×WdMAX), the number of batteries 2 that should be discharged will be 4 (all of them).

[0045] Thus, the charging and discharging of battery 2 is performed in such a way that the amount of charge and discharge per unit time for newly selected battery 2 is less than the amount of charge and discharge per unit time for battery 2 already selected for charging and discharging. Therefore, the charging and discharging of these batteries 2 is performed in such a way that the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 2 with a high cumulative usage is lower than the SOC of other batteries 2 with a low cumulative usage.

[0046] When enclosed in parentheses, for example, regarding charging, when WcTotal ≦ WcMAX, the number of batteries 2 to be charged is 1, and when WcMAX < WcTotal holds, the number of batteries 2 to be charged is 2. Similarly, when 2×WcMAX < WcTotal further holds, the number of batteries 2 to be charged is 3, and when 3×WcMAX < WcTotal further holds, the number of batteries 2 to be charged is 4. On the other hand, regarding discharging, when WdTotal ≦ WdMAX, the number of batteries 2 to be discharged is 1, and when WdMAX < WdTotal holds, the number of batteries 2 to be discharged is 2. Similarly, when 2×WdMAX < WdTotal further holds, the number of batteries 2 to be discharged is 3, and when 3×WdMAX < WdTotal further holds, the number of batteries 2 to be discharged is 4.

[0047] In addition, the maximum values WcMAX and WdMAX of the charge / discharge amount may be different from each other (WcMAX ≠ WdMAX).

[0048] As described above, according to the present embodiment, among two or more batteries installed in the charge / discharge device 14, those with a relatively small cumulative usage amount (for example, battery 2a) and those with a relatively large cumulative usage amount (for example, battery 2b) are specified based on their usage history information. Then, their charging and discharging are performed such that the SOC of the battery 2 with a relatively large cumulative usage amount (for example, battery 2b) becomes smaller than the SOC of the battery 2 with a relatively small cumulative usage amount (for example, battery 2a). As a result, the frequency of charging and discharging for the battery 2 with a relatively large cumulative usage amount (for example, battery 2b) is reduced, and it becomes possible to extend the life of any battery 2. Generally, it is assumed that users will select and use battery 2 with a high SOC. Therefore, the information display unit 143 should display information indicating the SOC of each battery 2, as well as information recommending the use of battery 2 with a high SOC. This allows users to visually check the status of each battery 2, and enables them to remove battery 2 with a high SOC from the charge / discharge device 14 and use it for other purposes, thus preventing usage from being biased towards a particular battery 2.

[0049] ≪Other≫ In the example in Figure 2, for ease of understanding, it is shown that each battery 2 is in a discharged state (SOC=0%) in the early morning, fully charged (SOC=100%) during the day, and discharged again (SOC=0%) towards the middle of the night. However, generally, several batteries 2 may be placed in the charge / discharge device 14 with their SOCs different from each other, and / or at different timings. In such cases, the same charge / discharge control as in the embodiment should be performed; that is, during the charge / discharge, the SOC of the battery 2 with a relatively high cumulative usage should be made smaller than the SOC of the battery 2 with a relatively low cumulative usage.

[0050] As an example, consider the case in the early morning when battery 2a, which has relatively low cumulative usage, is in a half-charged state (SOC=50%), and battery 2b, which has relatively high cumulative usage, is in a lightly charged state (SOC=10%). In this case, the SOC of battery 2b, which has relatively high cumulative usage, is already lower than the SOC of battery 2a, which has relatively low cumulative usage. Charging of batteries 2a and 2b during the day can be carried out in the same manner as in the embodiment; that is, charging of battery 2a takes precedence over charging of battery 2b, and battery 2a reaches a fully charged state (SOC=100%) before battery 2b.

[0051] As another example, consider the case in the early morning when battery 2a, which has relatively low cumulative usage, is in a slightly charged state (SOC=10%), and battery 2b, which has relatively high cumulative usage, is in a half-charged state (SOC=50%). In this case, charging of batteries 2a and 2b during the daytime will begin when the SOC of battery 2b, which has relatively high cumulative usage, is greater than the SOC of battery 2a, which has relatively low cumulative usage. However, even in this case, charging of batteries 2a and 2b during the daytime can be carried out in the same manner as in the embodiment, and during the charging, the relative magnitudes of their SOCs will reverse, and battery 2a will reach a fully charged state (SOC=100%) before battery 2b. Furthermore, according to this example, battery 2b is not discharged (and its power is used to charge battery 2a), so battery 2b is not unnecessarily degraded.

[0052] The same applies to the case of discharge, and furthermore, to the case where an additional battery 2 is installed in the charge / discharge device 14 during the charge / discharge period.

[0053] In the above explanation, for the sake of ease of understanding, each element has been given a name related to its function. However, each element is not limited to having the content described in the embodiment as its primary function, but may also have it as a secondary function. Therefore, each element is not strictly limited to its expression, and its expression can be replaced with other similar expressions. In the same vein, the expression "apparatus" may be replaced with "unit," "component, piece," "member," "structure," "assembly," etc., or it may be omitted or added.

[0054] Furthermore, the two or more elements exemplified as selectable in the embodiments are not strictly limited to those examples and may be combined in any way. For example, the two or more elements listed by "and / or" may be additionally selected or alternatively selected. As an example, in the case of two elements A and B, the expression "A and / or B" indicates either A only, B only, or both A and B, and may be rephrased as "at least one of A and B."

[0055] Summary of the Embodiments Some of the features illustrated in the above embodiments are as follows: (Item 1) A charge / discharge control device (e.g., 142) that controls the charging and discharging of batteries (e.g., 2) installed in multiple installation units (e.g., 141), Information acquisition means (e.g., S3110) for acquiring usage history information for batteries installed in the aforementioned multiple installation units, When two or more batteries, including a first battery (e.g., 2a) and a second battery (e.g., 2b) having a greater cumulative usage than the first battery, are installed in the plurality of installation locations, the identification means (e.g., S3120) identifies the first battery and the second battery based on the usage history information, A charge / discharge execution means (e.g., S3150) that performs charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery such that the State of Charge (SOC) of the second battery is smaller than the State of Charge (SOC) of the first battery, Equipped with A charge / discharge control device characterized by the following: These characteristics mean that batteries with relatively high cumulative usage will undergo less charging and discharging, extending the lifespan of individual batteries, and thus enabling more appropriate charging and discharging control for multiple batteries.

[0056] (Item 2) Prioritizing the charging of the first battery over the charging of the second battery, Prioritize the discharge of the second battery over the discharge of the first battery. The charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery are performed in this manner. A charge / discharge control device according to item 1, characterized in that it is a charge / discharge control device. With these characteristics, the State of Charge (SOC) of the second battery, which has a relatively high cumulative usage during charging and discharging, can be made smaller than the SOC of the first battery, which has a relatively low cumulative usage, thus more effectively achieving the effect of item 1 above.

[0057] (Item 3) Priority setting means (e.g., S3120) for setting the charge / discharge priority for the two or more batteries based on the usage history information, A target selection means (e.g., S3140) for selecting batteries to be charged and discharged from the two or more batteries based on the charge / discharge priority, Furthermore, The charge / discharge execution means performs the charge / discharge of the battery selected by the target selection means. A charge / discharge control device according to item 1 or item 2, characterized in that it is a charge / discharge control device according to item 1 or item 2. These characteristics allow for a more appropriate attainment of the effects described in item 1 above.

[0058] (Item 4) The priority setting means sets the charging priority lower and the discharge priority higher for the two or more batteries that have a higher cumulative usage. A charge / discharge control device according to item 3, characterized by the features described herein. These characteristics further contribute to extending battery life, and the effects of item 1 above are obtained more appropriately.

[0059] (Item 5) The system further includes an instruction means (e.g., S3000) for giving charge and discharge instructions for the two or more batteries, The aforementioned target selection means can select some or all of the two or more batteries as targets for charging and discharging. When the instruction means issues a charging instruction, the target selection means determines the number of batteries to be charged based on the total charge amount per unit time indicated by the charging instruction, and selects that number of batteries to be charged. When the instruction means issues a discharge instruction, the target selection means determines the number of batteries to be discharged based on the total discharge amount per unit time indicated by the discharge instruction, and selects that number of batteries to be charged. A charge / discharge control device according to item 3 or item 4, characterized by the above. Based on these characteristics, charging and discharging will be performed on a number of batteries corresponding to the total charge and discharge amount indicated by the charge / discharge instruction.

[0060] (Item 6) When the instruction means issues a charging instruction, and the total amount of charge per unit time indicated by the charging instruction becomes greater than the standard amount, the target selection means increases the number of batteries to be charged. When the instruction means issues a discharge instruction, and the total discharge amount per unit time indicated by the discharge instruction becomes greater than a reference amount, the target selection means increases the number of batteries to be discharged. A charge / discharge control device according to item 5, characterized by the features described herein. These characteristics allow the effects of item 5 above to be obtained appropriately.

[0061] (Item 7) The aforementioned charge / discharge execution means is When the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for charging, the amount of charge per unit time is determined for each of the first and second batteries such that the SOC of the second battery is smaller than the SOC of the first battery. When the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for discharge, the discharge rate per unit time is determined for each of the first and second batteries such that the SOC of the second battery is smaller than the SOC of the first battery. The first battery and the second battery are charged and discharged. A charge / discharge control device according to item 5 or item 6, characterized in that it is a charge / discharge control device according to item 5 or item 6. These characteristics allow the State of Charge (SOC) of the second battery, which has a relatively high cumulative usage during charging and discharging, to be smaller than the SOC of the first battery, which has a relatively low cumulative usage.

[0062] (Item 8) Each battery has a set maximum charge / discharge rate per unit time. When the instruction means issues a charging instruction and the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for charging, The first battery is charged to the maximum value of the charge amount per unit time, The second battery is charged by an amount of charge per unit time, which is the total amount of charge per unit time indicated by the charging instruction minus the maximum value. When the instruction means issues a discharge instruction and the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for discharge, The second battery is discharged at the maximum value of the discharge amount per unit time, The discharge amount per unit time is the discharge amount obtained by subtracting the maximum value from the total discharge amount per unit time indicated by the discharge instruction, and the first battery is discharged at this discharge amount. A charge / discharge control device according to item 7, characterized in that it is a charge / discharge control device. These characteristics allow the effects of item 7 above to be obtained appropriately.

[0063] (Item 9) The system is configured to display information about the two or more batteries on a predetermined information display unit (e.g., 143). A charge / discharge control device according to any one of items 1 to 8, characterized in that These features allow users to visually check the status of each battery.

[0064] (Item 10) The information display unit displays information indicating the State of Charge (SOC) of the first battery and the second battery, respectively. A charge / discharge control device according to item 9, characterized in that it is a charge / discharge control device. These features allow users to visually check the detailed status of each battery.

[0065] (Item 11) The information display unit displays information to recommend to the user that they use the first battery, out of the two batteries mentioned above. A charge / discharge control device according to item 9 or item 10, characterized in that it is a charge / discharge control device according to item 9 or item 10. These features allow users to properly understand which battery to choose and use.

[0066] (Item 12) The usage history information for a particular battery is recorded in the battery's memory (e.g., 21), and the information acquisition means acquires the usage history information from the memory for each battery installed in its respective installation unit. A charge / discharge control device according to any one of items 1 to 11, characterized in that These characteristics make it relatively easy to obtain usage history information.

[0067] (Item 13) The usage history information for a particular battery indicates the currently usable battery capacity and / or the cumulative discharge amount of that battery. A charge / discharge control device according to any one of items 1 to 12, characterized in that These characteristics make it possible to accurately assess the degree of battery degradation.

[0068] (Item 14) A charge / discharge control device described in any one of items 1 through 13 (e.g., 142), It comprises multiple mounting sections (e.g., 141) each capable of housing a battery. A charging and discharging device (e.g., 14) characterized by the above. In other words, the above charge / discharge control device is generally applicable to charge / discharge devices for charging and discharging batteries.

[0069] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 14: Charge / discharge device, 141: Installation unit, 142: Charge / discharge control unit, 2: Battery.

Claims

1. A charge / discharge control device that controls the charging and discharging of batteries installed in multiple locations, Information acquisition means for acquiring usage history information for batteries installed in the aforementioned multiple installation units, When two or more batteries, including a first battery and a second battery having a greater cumulative usage than the first battery, are installed in the plurality of installation locations, the identification means identifies the first battery and the second battery based on the usage history information, A charge / discharge execution means that performs charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery such that the State of Charge (SOC) of the second battery becomes smaller than the SOC of the first battery, Equipped with A charge / discharge control device characterized by the following:

2. Prioritizing the charging of the first battery over the charging of the second battery, Prioritize the discharge of the second battery over the discharge of the first battery. The charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery are performed in this manner. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 1.

3. Priority setting means for setting the charge / discharge priority for the two or more batteries based on the usage history information, A target selection means for selecting which batteries to be charged and discharged from the two or more batteries based on the charge / discharge priority, Furthermore, The charge / discharge execution means performs the charge / discharge of the battery selected by the target selection means. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 1.

4. The priority setting means sets the charging priority lower and the discharge priority higher for the two or more batteries with a higher cumulative usage. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 3.

5. The system further includes an instruction means for giving charging and discharging instructions for the two or more batteries, The target selection means can select some or all of the two or more batteries as targets for charging and discharging. When the instruction means issues a charging instruction, the target selection means determines the number of batteries to be charged based on the total charge amount per unit time indicated by the charging instruction, and selects that number of batteries to be charged. When the instruction means issues a discharge instruction, the target selection means determines the number of batteries to be discharged based on the total discharge amount per unit time indicated by the discharge instruction, and selects that number of batteries to be charged. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 3.

6. When the instruction means issues a charging instruction, and the total amount of charge per unit time indicated by the charging instruction becomes greater than the standard amount, the target selection means increases the number of batteries to be charged. When the instruction means issues a discharge instruction, and the total discharge amount per unit time indicated by the discharge instruction becomes greater than a reference amount, the target selection means increases the number of batteries to be discharged. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 5.

7. The aforementioned charge / discharge execution means is When the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for charging, the amount of charge per unit time is determined for the first battery and the second battery respectively such that the SOC of the second battery is smaller than the SOC of the first battery. When the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for discharge, the discharge rate per unit time is determined for the first battery and the second battery respectively such that the SOC of the second battery is smaller than the SOC of the first battery. The first battery and the second battery are charged and discharged. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 5.

8. Each battery has a set maximum charge / discharge rate per unit time. When the instruction means issues a charging instruction and the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for charging, The first battery is charged to the maximum value of the charge amount per unit time, The second battery is charged by an amount of charge per unit time, which is the total amount of charge per unit time indicated by the charging instruction minus the maximum value. When the instruction means issues a discharge instruction and the target selection means selects the first battery and the second battery as targets for discharge, The second battery is discharged at the maximum value of the discharge amount per unit time, The discharge amount per unit time is the discharge amount obtained by subtracting the maximum value from the total discharge amount per unit time indicated by the discharge instruction, and the first battery is discharged at this discharge amount. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 7.

9. The system is configured to display information about the two or more batteries on a predetermined information display unit. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 1.

10. The information display unit displays information indicating the State of Control (SOC) of the first battery and the second battery, respectively. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 9.

11. The information display unit displays information to recommend to the user that they use the first battery, out of the two batteries mentioned above. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 9.

12. The usage history information for a particular battery is recorded in the battery's memory, and the information acquisition means acquires the usage history information from the memory for each battery installed in its respective installation unit. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 1.

13. The usage history information for a particular battery indicates the currently usable battery capacity and / or the cumulative discharge amount of that battery. The charge / discharge control device according to feature 1.

14. A charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, It comprises multiple mounting sections, each capable of housing a battery. A charging and discharging device characterized by the following features.

Images